Podcasts to Listen To: The best history podcasts

Thursday

Sep 7, 2017 at 12:31 PMSep 7, 2017 at 12:31 PM

Philosopher and poet George Santayana said, "Those who do not learn history are doomed to repeat it." Although some might think of falling asleep during a history class or think that events that happened hundreds of years ago have no effect on today's world, studying history is necessary to avoid repeating past mistakes. If you are a history novice and are looking for how we got here, or you are a history buff looking for the latest research information, here are a few history podcasts to listen to.

New York Public Library Podcast: Presented by the New York Public Library, writers, artists and thinkers get together to talk about the history of a wide range of topics. With more than 180 episodes to choose from, the NYPL podcast features guests such as Alec Baldwin, John Lithgow and Helen Mirren. Recent episodes include, "Ayobami Adebayo on her debut novel 'Stay With Me,'" "Ibram X. Kendi, Stamped from the Beginning" and "Noam Chomsky and Wallace Shawn: Rigorous Rationality."

Find it: http://on.nypl.org/2vKHakg.

Backstory: Hosted by U.S. historians Ed Ayers, Brian Balogh, Nathan Connolly and Joanne Freeman, take today's headlines and dive into the history backstory of that moment in the news. The weekly podcast also features interviews and conservations with listeners. Recent episodes include, "Starry-Eyed: A History of the Heavens," "Guns v. Speech: When Protesters Are Armed" and "Revisionist Climate: Americans and the Atmosphere."

Find it: http://bit.ly/2j8sHNU.

Stuff You Missed in History Class: Presented by HowStuffWorks.com, hosts Tracy Wilson and Holly Frey discuss the people's lives and events that changed America. Listeners can choose from news from today's headlines to specific time periods in history. Recent episodes include, "The Motherhood of Mamie Till-Mobley," "SYMHC Classics: Wreck of the Ten Sail" and "A Handful of Eclipses in History."

Find it: http://bit.ly/2rUuAic.

Lore: Taking a look at some of the darker stories of history, the Lore podcast boasts that "sometimes the truth is more frightening than fiction." Supernatural thriller author Aaron Mannke hosts each 30-minute episode that dive into the meanings of our modern superstitions. From mysterious creatures, tragic events and unusual places, Lore is for those interested in dark history. Recent episodes include, "The Red Coats," "Where There's Smoke" and "Doing Tricks."